Sept. 16, 2014. The Art Cellar Gallery is pleased to present “Animals of Farm and Field” from Sept. 17 through Oct. 18. This exhibit features the paintings from four accomplished gallery artists: Carolyn Blaylock, Nancy Oppenheimer, Margaret Salisbury and Walter Stanford. Each artist will be sharing their representations of animals from bears to sheep, during the gallery’s animal focused show.
Carolyn Blaylock from Winston-Salem, stated that her love for art began as a small child. Painting in oils, Blaylock lends herself to bright bold colors and warm, happy faces of animals big and small. Her paintings contain her signature style that so many of her collectors admire: broad paint strokes, bright colors and drippy waterways through the paint. Most often her animal portraits each also have a whimsical back story for the animals that the artist says develop as she creates the paintings.
Oppenheimer, one of the gallery’s South Carolina artists and an avid bear advocate, focuses on bear paintings, but also captures other animals from cows to birds. An accomplished award winning painter, she is known for capturing the emotion and spirit of her subjects. Many of her works give the sense for viewers that they are literally standing in front of the actual animals. This is what Oppenheimer wants to achieve as she paints, only when the painting “breathes” does she feel that she is on the right track.
Many people know painter Margaret Salisbury for her serene paintings of trout waters, road side vistas and regional farm landscapes. Her “critter” paintings capture animals in their natural environment, be it cows in a field or birds on a limb. Salisbury’s use of soft brush strokes and warm colors are a trademark style. The artist has an intuitive sense for capturing the animal’s personality, often with a touch of humor. Salisbury calls Charlotte her home but spends as lot of time in High Country painting the wonderful flora and fauna of the area.
Walter Stanford is a recent winner of the statewide competition, “On Common Ground 2014: Pastel Painting from the Mountains to the Sea”, with his beautiful rendering of a battler eagle. Walter began his artistic career as a freelance illustrator and later began working in fine art with pastel and acrylics. Stanford is also a member of the Pastel Society of NC and the Southeastern Pastel Society. This exhibition will feature sever of Stanford’s incredibly realistic renderings of animals in pastel and acrylic.
During the “Animals of Farm and Field” exhibition The Art Cellar Gallery will serve as a collection location for donations to the Avery County Humane Society. The ACHS provides a shelter for cats and dogs that are lost, abandoned or unwanted, sponsors rabies clinics, offers access to low-cost spay/neuter services, and partners with the local prison in the New Leash On Life obedience training program. All donations will be accepted from cash to donations of food and toys.
“Animals of Farm and Field” will run from Sept. 17 through Oct. 18. A reception with artists Carolyn Blaylock, Nancy Oppenheimer, Margaret Salisbury and Walter Stanford takes place on Oct. 4 from 4 – 6 p.m. For information on exhibitions, other gallery artists and events, visit artcellaronline.com or call 828-898-5175. The Art Cellar Gallery is located on N.C. 184 and is open Monday – Saturday 10 a.m.to 5 p.m.
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